The fashion focus for 2017 swimwear combines the last season’s most popular looks with fresh innovations. Discover how designers are enriching sophisticated simplicity by replicating a longing for yesteryear with a modern twist. Then check out our plus-size shopping tips. Whatever you choose, your best accessory is a confident attitude!
Cut, Style, and Detail Elements
Beach romance: Delicate embellishments celebrate femininity with elegant neck and back details. Traditional beach-to-boudoir frills like ruffles, crochet, ruching, and bell sleeves add visual charm to solid-colored bathing suits. Laser-cut flounces enhance edges with filigreed grace.
Sheer mesh filling in various shaped cutouts creates enticing forms and contours. White lacy styles convey dainty bridal and irresistible honeymoon lingerie appeal. Shop Swimsuits Direct for cute plus-size swimsuits like this enchanting chambray blue beauty with an intricate lace appliqué that exudes romance.
Vintage Boho: Flowing, carefree comfort depicts this laid-back retro trend. Alluring handcrafted details like embroidery, crochet, macramé, braiding, tassels, and fringe are softening swimwear. Gypsy, peasant, hippie, festival chic, and Bohemian touches are ever popular for one- and two-piece bathing suits and top, tunic, and dress cover-ups. Nature-inspired ornamentations include wooden beads, cowrie shells, stones, and feathers.
Sexy straps: Lace-up lingerie styling on one-piece looks, separates, and cover-ups extends into another year to sensationalize seductive swimwear. Instead of settling for safe silhouettes, women are rocking more revealing swim fashions with flirty lattice- and bondage-style strap work. Decorative strips across necklines, midriff sides, low backs, and bikini bottoms intensify drama.
Punk uprising: An offshoot of the strappy bondage trend above, the mid-1970s punk counterculture is responsible for this edgy, rebellious look. The latest swimwear’s solid black and neutral color blocks brandish metal spikes, zippers, and chains as key accents representing personal freedom, defiance, and strength. Wearers display confidence in their daring appearances.
Sporty luxe: Activewear’s impact on mainstream fashions is making constantly evolving sporty looks versatile mainstays. Beyond color blocking, rash guards, and mesh basics, designers are combining sport technology, innovative intelligent textiles, and contemporary styling. Crossovers from swimwear to everyday attire include one-piece creations becoming body suits and rash guards substituting for sun-protective streetwear. For energetic activities, consider cute plus-size bathing suits like this athleisure sailing style in dark marine blue.
Beach-to-street styles: Fashionistas crave stylish and practical swimwear for year-round use. Women can transition new adaptable styles into streetwear. Beach-to-gym/bar/boudoir, festival chic, and sporty luxe bathing suits and cover-ups highlight classic yet multifunctional silhouettes. Slipping skirts or pants over one-piece swimsuits is gaining favor. So is pairing halter and crop swim tops with shorts and jeans.
Raised-neck tops: This 2016 breakout trend isn’t slowing. Designers are introducing high-neck tanks and crop tops with various cuts, fabrics, and modern decorative detailing.
High-rise legs: Bottom leg openings slashed extra high on sexy one- and two-piece swimsuits elongate and flatter shapely legs. Fashion inspirations from the late 1980s into the early ‘90s influence stylish lines and materials.
Swimsuit Selection Pointers
Use these tips to find plus-size bathing suits offering style, support, becoming fits, and comfort in typical areas of concern:
Bust: To minimize your bust, try high-neck bathing suits that draw attention upward toward your face. Built-in support bras or molded cups with underwire or elastic bands boost up ample breast tissue. Bustiers with those extras maintain their shape while lower-torso positioning keeps your chest in place.
Wide, sturdy halter straps allow variable-tie tautness around your neck. Unlike back fasteners, you can tighten or loosen ties for optimal reinforcement and comfort. Want more versatility? Consider convertible and removable bands that offer some combination of straight over-your-shoulders, halter, racer-back, cross-back, and strapless looks. If you choose sewn-in straps, make sure they’re adjustable. Then just raise or lower them depending on your breasts shape. For extra support that avoids side-boob overflow, pick straps that are thicker at cups’ outer edges.
Midriff: Tummy control panels will minimize your midsection. High-rise bottoms concealing your belly are slimming. Side sections in prominent colors or patterns create slenderizing effects, sculpting an hourglass-figure illusion. Narrow vertical stripes trim and lengthen rounded apple shapes. Sash and belt accents make cinched-in waists look smaller.
Hips and thighs: Emphasize your upper half while detracting from your lower one. Flashy neck detailing like ruffles and swim shorts that rest low on your hips pull eyes upward. For separate pieces, choose wilder and brighter tops to overpower plainer and darker bottoms.